More than the Radio

By Anonymous, Culver, IN

Image Credit: Natalie C., Boise, ID

The author's comments:

I wrote this right after Christine and I had been filling out college housing applications. There was a question on both of our applications asking what kind of music do you listen to. Christine went and listed 5 different composers and several different bands. I wrote down anything but rap.

I have never been a music buff. I listen to whatever is on the radio and when there is static I change the station. My sister and I share an iTunes play list, which means I plug my iPod into her computer once a month to update and add whatever songs she has bought. Going to boarding school I think that this is one of my best qualities as a roommate. Some of my friends have had full out fights with their roommates over the music they were going to listen to. My roommates have always been able to play their music out loud and listen to whatever they wanted to. The past few years have always consisted of whatever is popular at the time- Lady Gaga, Green Day, Red Jump Suit Apparatus, and even the Jonas Brothers would make it into the playlist some days. The first night of this year I came walking into my room and my new roommate Christine looked up and asked if she could play her music. I said sure and continued to get ready for bed expecting some kind of pop song to come on in the background. A few seconds later the first few notes of Bach’s Concerto in D minor came on (I did not know this at the time but Christine now makes a point of explaining every piece of music that comes on). I must of looked surprised because she quickly turned it off muttered a quick apology before adding “We don’t have to listen to it.” “No it’s fine,” I replied quickly not wanting to offend her. She smiled and turned the sound back on as we both went back to our bed time routine. I have now been living with Christine for 6 months and have learned several names of classical composers and how each of them has a completely different style. I cannot say that I am the biggest fan of classical music, however, I can tell you the difference between Bernstein and Beethoven and will always be grateful to Christine for showing me that music is more than what is on the radio. In this time I have also been able to find a musical genre that I enjoy and often listen to with my headphones on when the classical gets to be a little much. Christine just shakes her head and mutters, “That’s not music” whenever she sees what I am listening to and I just smile and continue to nod my head to the country melody

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